Lasting machine



Aug.- 1, 1944. B. JORGENSEN 2,354,636

LASIING MACHINE Original Filed Jan. 16, 1943 2 Sheets-Sheet l //\/1//\/77%? Bern hard! Jorgensen By S ne 1944. B. JORGENSEN 2,354,686

' LASTING MACHINE. I

Original Filed Jan. 16, 1943 2 Sheets-Sh eet 2 AWE/70F Bernhard! Jrgensen I y Altorney Patented Aug. 1, 1944 LASTING MACHINE Bernhardt J orgensen, Marblehead, Mass., assignor to United Shoe Machinery Corporation, Flemington, N. J., a corporation of New Jersey Original application January 16, 1943, Serial No.

Divided and this application October 21, 1943. Serial No. 507,842

Claims. (c1. 1z-14.1)

This invention relates to lasting machines, the present application being a division of another pending application, Serial No. 472,557, filed on January 16, 1943. The invention is herein illus trated as applied to a power-operated toe-lasting machine constructed generally as disclosed in United States Letters Patent No. 2,324,509, granted on July 20, 1943, on an application of mine, an object being to improve that machine in certain respects. It is to be understood, however, that the invention is not limited in its applicability to that particular machine.

In the machine shown in the above-mentioned Letters Patent a last having an upper and an insole thereon is positioned bottom upward for the toe-lasting operation. The margin of the upper about the toe end of the last is wiped in-.

wardly over the insole by wipers carried by a wiper support which is moved upwardly by fluidoperated means to'bring them into position for thus operating on the upper, and associated with the wipers on the wiper support is a substantially U-shaped flexible toe former arranged to emmeans for adjusting the portions of the toe former at the sides of the toe relatively to each other in directions widthwise of the last, and such an adjustment sometimes necessitates also a bodily adjustment of the toe former lengthwise of the last to position it in proper relation to the upper at the end of the toe.

Adjustment of the toe former lengthwise of the last may also sometimes be required for other reasons. The construction herein shown enables the operator in his working position at the front of the machine quickly to make such an adjustment, and also permits the toe former further to adjust itself more freely than heretofore to the contour of the toe end of the shoe and last. As illustrated, a supporting member movable with the toe former in directions lengthwise of the last carries a pivotally mounted crossbar connected by a pair oflinks to means for yieldingly pressing the toe former toward the end of the toe in the upwiping operation, and by means of a hand wheel at the front of the machine one of the links may be shortened or lengthened to adjust the toe former lengthwise of the last. The supporting member also to swing within limits about an axisextending heightwise of the last and connected by links to the portions of the toe former at the sides of the toe to permit 'the toe former further to adjust itself to the shoe and last as above described.

The above and other features of the invention, including various novel details of construction and combinations of parts, will now be more particularly described with reference to the accompanying drawings and thereafter pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a View in front elevation of a portion of the machine shown in the previously mentioned Letters Patent as modified for purposes of the present invention, a portion of the structure being broken away;

Fig. 2 is a view partly in right-hand side elevation and partly in section of the structure shown in Fig. 1, with the parts in the positions which they occupy when the wipers are at the ends of their inward wiping movements over the insole;

Fig. 3 is a View in vertical section widthwise of the shoe illustrating the relation of the wipers to the shoe as they begin to wipe the margin of the upper inwardly over the insole;

Fig. 4 is a plan view, with parts broken away, showing the wipers and the toe former and portions of their operating and controlling mechanisms;

Fig. 5 is a plan view ofthe toe former and of a portion of its controlling mechanism on a larger I by theoperator bottom upward, this device being provided with a plurality of pins 4 arranged to extend through holes in the toe end of the insole into holes in the bottom of the last and with a plate'fi arranged to engage the bottom face of the insole to. determine the position of the shoe heightwise in the lasting operation. The shoepositioning device 2 is adjustable vertically along guideways 8 in the frame of the machine to vary as desired the height at which the bottom of the toe end of the shoe is positioned; Immediately after the starting of the power operation of the machine the shoe is clamped against the plate 6 by an upwardly movable toe rest l0 whichfthereafter supports it against downward movement carries another pivotally mounted crossbar free in th l in p n.

For wiping the margin of the upper about the toe end of the last inwardly over the insole there are provided wipers l2 secured to wiper holders I4 (Fig. 4) which are mounted for swinging movements along guideways on a wiper carrier l6 about the axis of a pin I 8 (Fig. 6) on the carrier to close the wipers inwardly over the shoe bottom widthwise of the shoe as the wiper carrier is operated to advance them lengthwise of the shoe. Such operative movement is imparted to the wiper carrier by a fluid-operated piston connected to the carrier by a piston rod 22.

Wiperclosing movements are imparted to the wiper. holders. M in response to the movement of the? wiper carrier lengthwise of the shoe by mechanism not herein shown in detail but fully disclosed in the previously mentioned Letters Patent.

The wiper carrier l6 and its operating means are; i

shaped flexible toe former 34, supported by the casting as hereinafter described, wipes the upper around the toe end of the last heightwise of the last preparatory to the wiping of its margin inwardly over the insole by the wipers I2. As thus far described the construction herein shown is substantially like that disclosed in the previously mentioned Letters Patent.

As further disclosed in the application of which the present application is a, division, the upward movement of the casting 24 is limited by stop mechanism which comprises a pin 36 carried by each piston'30 and extending through slots 38in the corresponding cylinder 32, the pin being arranged to engage the cylinder. at the upper ends of the slots to stop the upward movement of the piston. The pistons are connected to the wiper-supporting basting 24 by links 40 pivotally mounted on pins 42 in the casting and provided at their lowerends with slots 44. (Fig.2) through which extend pins 46 mounted in'upwardexten-' sions of the pistons. During the upward movements of the pistons 30' the pins 46 engagethe links at the upper ends of theslots 44 for raising the casting 24 and the wipers to the position detel-mined by engagement of the pins 36 with the cylinders 32 at the upper ends of the slots 38. The wipers are thus moved upwardly into position for wiping the margin of the upper inwardly over the insole, the proper relation between the wipers and the shoe when the wipers are in this position being determined by vertical adjustment of the shoe-positioning device 2. When the wip ers are thereafter operated to wipe the margin of the upper inwardly over the insole the casting 24 and the parts supported thereon are free to move farther upwardly against the resistance of gravity in response to pressure of the margin of the upper on the wipers by reason of the slots 44 in the links 46, as illustrated in Fig. 2. This per-v mits the wipers to follow the convex curvature of the bottom of the toe and of the last, when the last has such a curvature, and therefore permits the shoe-positioning device 2 to. be so adjusted as to cause the wipers to apply greater pressure to the upper as they begin, to wipe. it inwardly over the extreme edge of the insole (Fig. 3) than would be possible if the Wipers were confined to movements in a plane. Since the casting 24 and the parts thereon are thus upwardly movable against the resistance of-gravity alone, there is no increase of pressure of the wipers on the upper during their inward movements by reason of the curvature of the bottom of the last. The provision for upward movement of the wipers also prevents them from acting too severely on the portions of the margin of the upper around the end of the toe where gathers or folds are most likely to form in the overwiping operation.

Since the weight of the casting 24 and the parts thereon is substantial, the machine is further provided with. means for partially counterbaliancing this weight, in order to prevent the wipers, -in operating on some kinds of upper materials,

from applying too much pressure to the margin of the upper. This means comprises springs 48 seated on the heads of screws .50 which are threaded in the pistons 30 and bearing. at their upper ends on lugs 52 extending fonwardly'from the upper ends of the links 40.. The springs are held in place by pins 54 extending upwardly from the screws-5ll and by pins. 56. extending ldowne' wardly fromthe lugs 52. Associated also with the pistons 36 are springs 58 which are compressed by the upward movements of the pistons and act through the pistons on the casting 24 to'increase the downward pressure of the wipers on the overwiped margin oftheupper when the pistons are released from the pressure of the operating fluid in the cylinders 32, as they are at a predetermined time in the operation of the machine. The springs 58 are seated at their lower ends on enlarged end portions 60 of the pins 36, and bear at their upper-ends on washers '62 confined by nuts 64 on rods 66 which extend downwardly through the springs and through openings in the end portions 60, the rods being threaded at their lower ends-in bars 68 secured in fixed relation to the--cylinders 32.

The substantially U-shaped-fiexibletoe former 34-, previouslyreferred to as also movable upwardly bythe wiper-supporting casting 24 to wipe the upper heightwise'of the-last, preferably comprisesa-bandof molded hard leather to the outer face" of which is riveted athin steelplate a smallplate 12 mounted on the upper end of a-stud 14 which extends upwardly from a block lfi resting on plane upper faces ofthe wiper holders l4. The block is provided with flanges 18 extending laterally and forwardly therefrom and also resting on the upper faces of the wiper holders, and it may be moved along these faces with the toe former'in directions lengthwise of the shoe, as hereinafter described. In such movements the block is guidedby means of a rod "89 which is fast therein and is slidingly movable in abore 82- (Fig. Him the piston rod 22. The plate 12' has a slot 84"th erein through which extend a pin 86- and a screw88' mounted in the 'studl4, the head of the screw being arranged to hold the plate in proper adjusted relation to the stud; It will be'evident that, the plate 12, on which the intermediate portion of the toe former rests, permits that portion of the toe former to be moved relatively to its supporting block 16 in any direction in a plane parallel to the wipers I2.

'Bivotally mounted midway between its opposite ends on the stud I4 is a crossbar 90, and pivotally connected to the ends of this crossbar areforwardly extending links 92 pivotally connected at their front ends to angular members 94 secured to the portions of the toefor-mer which are-opposite the sides of the toe end of the shoe. The pivotal connections between the links 92 and the members94 comprise pins 96 (Figs. 3 and 6) extending downwardly from the members into bushings 98 in the links, the bushings having between their upper and lower ends flanges I which rest on the tops of the links. The crossbar 90 is free to swing about the stud I4 to permit the toe former, in response to pressure of the shoe thereon, to adjustv itself angularly to the toe end of the shoe. Such swinging movements of-the crossbar are adjustably limited by screws I04 which are threaded therein and are arranged to engage pins I06 extending upwardly from the flanges 18 of the block I6. The plate 12 lies in a slot I08 (Fig. 5) in the crossbar 90 which is wider than the plate to permit the swinging I movements of the crossbar.

Also pivotally connected to the members 94 are links I II arranged to extend laterally of the shoe, the inner ends of these links being mounted on the bushings 98 as illustrated in Fig. 6. The outer ends of the links I III are controlled by springs II2 mounted in sockets in the front ends of levers II4, as in the iconstruction'shown in the previously mentioned Letters Patent. The springs II2 are yieldable to permit the portions of the toe former at the sides of the toe to be forced somewhat apart by the pressure of the shoe thereon in the upwiping operation. The levers II4, which correspond to the levers 496 shown in .the above-mentioned Letters Patent, are adjustable by means not herein fully shown but disclosed in detail in said Letters Patent to adjust the portions of the toe former at the sides of the toe toward or from each other for shoes of different widths, the adjusting means including an adjusting member accessible to-the operator at the front of the machine.

Also pivotally mounted midway between its ends on the block I6, in the construction herein shown, is another crossbar I I6 through which the block is controlled. Pivotally connected to the left-hand end of this crossbar is a rearwardly extending link I I8 the rear end of which is pivotally connected, similarly to a corresponding link shown in the above-mentioned Letters Patent, to the lower bifurcated end of an arm I20 xtending. downwardly from a sleeve I22 which is fast. on a rockshaft, I24 mounted to turn in bearings in the casting 24. The right-hand end of the crossbar H6 is connected by a link I26, constructed as hereinafter described, to the lower bifurcated end of an arm I28 also extending downwardly from the sleeve I22- Connected to the lower bifurcated end of a third arm I39 extending downwardly from the sleeve is a Spring I32 anchored at its front end to a hook I34 on the casting 24 and tending to turn the sleeve I22 and the rockshaft in the direction .to impart forward movement, to the .block I6 and the toe former. An arm I36 integral with the sleeve I22 carries a screw I38 arranged to engage a lug I40 on the casting24 to limit any forward movement imparted to the toe former by the spring I32. The toe former is forced some-' what rearwardly against the resistance of this spring by pressure of the shoe thereon in the up- ;wiping operation, the block I6 moving with it along the supporting faces on the Wiper holders 3!.4. In this manner the toe former is caused to apply adequate pressure to the upper opposite thetoe-end face of the last.

In, the use of the machine the necessity sometimes arises for adjusting the toe former bodily in a direction lengthwise of the shoe, so that its intermediate portion will apply the desired pressure to the toe-end face of the upper. Such an adjustment may be required, for example, if the portions of the toe former at the sides of the toe are adjusted toward or from each other through the levers H4 and the links IIU, since that ad-. justment tends to alter the position lengthwise of the shoe of the intermediate portion of the toe former. Since the previously mentioned limiting screw I38 is not conveniently accessible to the operator for purposes of adjustment, the construction herein shown provides means whereby the operator may readily adjust the toe former at any time in directions lengthwise of the shoe while in his working position at the front of the machine. For this purpose the previously men-- tioned link I26 connecting the arm I28 to the right-hand end of the crossbar H6 comprises a rod I42 connected at its rear end to the arm I28 and threaded at its front end in a rod I44 of larger diameter the front end of which is so formed as to provide a hand wheel I46 for turning it. The rod I44 has therein an annular recess I48 in which lies the rounded right-hand end of the crossbar I I6, as shown in Figs. 5 and 6. To hold the rod in proper relation to the crossbar one of the flanges 185 of the .block 16 has an upwardly extending. lug I5n through an opening in which the rod extends. It will be evident that turning of the rod I44 serves to lengthen or shorten the link I26 and thereby to cause the crossbar I I6, swinging about its pivotal connection with the link II8, to move the block I6 and the toe former 34 connected to the block by the crossbar and the links 92 lengthwise of the shoe and thus to position the intermediate portion of the toe former in the desired relation to the toe-end face of the shoe.

-Having described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In a lasting machine, the combination with wipers for wiping the margin of the toe end of an upper inwardly over an insole on a last, of a substantially U-shaped flexible toe former associated with said wipers for embracing the upper around the toe end of the last and for wiping it heightwise of the last, means for adjusting the portions of said toe former at the sides of the toe rela-'- tively to each other in directions widthwise of the last, a member supporting the intermediate portion of said toe former and relatively to which said intermediate portion is movable in directions lengthwise of the last in response to adjustments of the portions at the sides of the toe widthwise of the last, and connections between said member and the portions at the sides of the toe, said member being movable to adjust the toe former bodily lengthwise ofthe last relatively to the wipers.

2. In a lasting machine, the combination with wipers for wiping the margin of the toe end of an upper inwardly over an insole on a last, of a substantially U-shaped flexible toe former asso-' ciated with said wipers for embracing the upper around the toe end of the last and for wiping it heightwise of the last, means for adjusting the portions of said toe former at the sides of the toe relatively to each other in directions widthwise of the last, a member supporting the intermediate portion of said toe former and relatively to which said intermediate portion is movable in directions lengthwise of the last in response to adjustments of the portions at the sides of the toe widthwise of the last, links extending from the portions: of the toe former at the sides of the toe indirections lengthwise of the last-and connected to said member, and adjusting means for moving said member to adjust the toe former bodily lengthwise of the last relatively to the wipers.

'3. In a lasting machine, the combination with wipers for wiping the margin of the toe end of an upper inwardly over an insole on a last, of a substantially U-shaped flexible toe former associated with said wipers for embracing the upper around the toe end of the last and for wiping it heightwise of the last, means for adjusting the portions of said toe former at the sides of the toe relatively to each other in directions widthwise of the last,

a member supporting the intermediate portion of said toe former and relatively to which said intermediate portion is movable in any direction in a plane substantially parallel to the wipers, a crossbar mounted on said member, links connecting the opposite ends of said crossbar respectively to the portions of the toe former at the sides of the toe, and adjusting means for moving said member to adjust the toe former bodily lengthwise of the last relatively to the wipers, said crossbar being mounted to swing about an axis extending heightwise of the last to permit the toe former further to adjust itself to the shoe and last in response to pressure of the shoe thereon.

4. In a lasting machine, the combination with wipers for Wiping the margin of the toe end of an upper inwardly over an insole on a last, of a substantially U-shaped flexible toe former associated with said wipers for embracing the upper around the toe end of the last and for wiping it heightwise of the last, a member supporting the intermediate portion of said toe former and relatively to which said intermediate portion is movable in any direction in a plane substantially parallel to the wipers, a crossbar connected to said member, and links connecting the opposite ends of said crossbar respectively to the portions of the toe former at the sides of the toe, said member being movable to adjust the toe former bodily lengthwise of the last relatively to the wipers and said crossbar being mounted to swing about an axis extending heightwise of the last to permit the toe former further to adjust itself to the shoe and last in response to pressure of the shoe thereon.

. 5. In a lasting machine, the combination with wipers for wiping the margin of the toe end of an upper inwardly over an insole on a last, of a substantiall U-shaped flexible toe former associated with said wipers for embracin the upper around the toe end of the last and for wiping it heightwise of the last, links connected to the portions of the toe former at the sides of the toe and extending in directions lengthwise of the last, a crossbar connected at its opposite ends respectively to saidlinks, a member connected to the intermediate portion of said crossbarand mounted for movement in directions lengthwise of the last, and adjustin means accessible to the operator in his working position at the front of the machine for thus moving said member and for thereby adjusting the toeformer bodily lengthwise of the last relatively to the wipers, said crossbar being mounted to swing about an axis extending heightwise of the last to permit the toe former further to adjust itself to the shoe and last in response to pressure of the shoe thereon. 6. In a lasting. machine, the combination with Wipers for wiping the margin of the toe end. of. an

upper inwardly over an insole on. a last, of a substantially U-shaped flexible toe former associated with said wipers for embracing the upper around the toe end of the last and for wiping it heightwise of thelast, a member connected to said toe former and movable with it in directions lengthwise of the last, a crossbar mounted between its ends on said member to swing about an axis extending heightwise of the last, links connected respectively to the opposite ends of said crossbar and extending lengthwise of the last, and spring means arranged to control said member and the toe former through said links and yieldable in response to pressure of the toe end of the shoe on the toe former in the wiping of the upper heightwise of the last.

7. In a lasting machine, the combination with wipers for wiping the margin of the toe end of an upper inwardly over an insole on a last, of a substantially U-shaped flexible toe former associated with said wipers for embracing the upper around the toe end of the last and for wiping it heightwise of the last, a member connected to said toe former and movable in directions lengthwise of the last to adjust the toe former bodily in those directions, a crossbar mounted between its opposite ends on said member for swinging movement about an axis extending heightwise of the last, links connected respectively to the opposite ends of said crossbar and extending lengthwise of the last, and means for controlling said member and the toe former through said links, one of said links being of adjustably variable length for adjusting said member and the toe former lengthwise of the last.

8. In a lasting machine, the combination with wipers for wiping the margin of the toe end of an upper inwardly over an insole on a last, of a substantially U-shaped flexible toe former associated with said wipers for embracing the upper around the toe end of the last and for wiping it heightwise of the last, a member connected to said toe former and movable with it in directions lengthwise of the last, a crossbar mounted between its opposite ends on said member for swinging movement about an axis extending heightwise of the last, links connected respectively to the opposite ends of said crossbar and extending lengthwise of the last, spring means arranged to control said member and the toe former through said links and yieldable in response to pressure of the toe end of the shoe on the toe former in the wiping of the upper heightwise of the last, and means accessible to the operator in his working position at the front of the machine for lengthening or shortening one of said links and for thereby adjusting said member and the toe former lengthwise of the last.

9. In a lasting machine, the combination with wipers for wiping the margin of the toe end of an upper inwardly over an insole on a last, of a substantially U-shaped flexible toe former associated with said wipers for embracing the upper around the toe end of the last and for wiping. it heightwise of the last, link connected respectively to the portions of the toe former at the sides of the. toe and arranged to extend lengthwise of the last, a crossbar connected at its opposite ends respectively to said links, a member movable in directions lengthwise of the last and supporting said crossbar for swinging movement about an axis extending heightwise of the last, another crossbar supported on said member, links connected respectively tothe opposite ends of said other crossbar and extending lengthwise of the last, and spring means arranged to control said around the toe end of the last and for wiping it 10 heightwise of the last, links connected to the portions of the toe former at the sides of the toe and extending in directions lengthwise of the last, a crossbar connected at its opposite ends respectively to said links, a member connected to the intermediate portion of said crossbar and mounted for movement in directions lengthwise of the last, another crossbar connected between its opposite ends to said member to swing about an axis extending heightwise of the last, links connected respectively to the opposite ends of said last-named crossbar and extending lengthwise of the last, means for controllin said member and the toe former through said last-named links, and means for lengthening or shortening one of said last-named links to adjust the toe former in directions lengthwise of the last.

' BERNHARDT JORGENSEN. 

